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"I'm so surprised it has lasted this long. It was a real novelty when we bought it as there weren't many around in those days.

"At the time it was life-changing and since then it's become one of those everyday things you wonder now how you could ever live without."

Mr Stephens bought the Panasonic NE-691 from an electrical shop in Gloucester and believes it must be the oldest in the UK still in everyday use.

He says the microwave has been a big help heating up his meals and nightly hot milks since he was widowed in 2005.

He said: "It's a slice of history and is amazing to think how long it's lasted. At the time of buying it there were so few around we had to have a demonstration in the shop on how to use it and it was like looking at the future.

"We must have eaten thousands of meals over the years which have been heated in it. Francis used to cook the Christmas puddings in it, and would make food in it for the kids.

"Even the shop which sold it has gone now, but the microwave itself is still going strong. We've definitely had our moneys worth.

"It's never had to have any sort of maintenance and the only thing that's ever gone on it is the lightbulb for the door, and even that only cost a couple of quid."

The world's first microwave oven was built in America in 1947, weighed 340kg, stood 6ft tall and cost $5,000.